Fort Belknap tribal officials walk past some of the toxic acid rock mine waste left behind by the Pegasus Gold mining company in the 1990s. Zortman Landusky Gold Mine Pollution
Sacramento, California – California is collecting more groundwater data than ever before, a crucial step toward managing the state’s water resources amid a changing climate. Yet even as the Department of Water Resources (DWR) highlights recent gains in groundwater storage, officials acknowledge that these improvements fall short of what is needed to safeguard the water supply for millions of residents and the state’s vast agricultural sector.
A report released by DWR shows that groundwater storage increased by 2.2 million acre-feet during the 2024 water year, buoyed by heavy precipitation and coordinated efforts to capture stormwater through recharge basins and local agency partnerships. These gains follow similar increases in the prior year and reflect progress in groundwater sustainability efforts — a vital hedge in dry years when groundwater supplies provide more than half of California’s water.
Still, the state faces a daunting challenge: its water system infrastructure has yet to be modernized to meet the demands of a hotter, drier climate. At the center of this challenge is the long-delayed Delta Conveyance Project, a proposal designed to upgrade the State Water Project’s ability to move and store water efficiently, particularly during winter storms.
Governor Gavin Newsom underscored the urgency of the project in response to the new data. “The data doesn’t lie,” Newsom said. “Our water system is unprepared for California’s hotter and drier climate. That means we also need to build new water infrastructure like the Delta Conveyance Project. We literally cannot afford to wait.”
The project, if operational during the past rainy season, could have captured nearly one million acre-feet of water — enough to supply nearly 10 million people. The benefits extend beyond volume: it promises to improve reliability for 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland, while also bolstering resilience against earthquake risks.
Beyond infrastructure, the state has sought to deepen partnerships with local groundwater agencies and farmers. Through the LandFlex program, DWR awarded $23.3 million in grants to Central Valley agencies supporting sustainable farming practices that reduce groundwater overdraft and protect drinking water. This program has saved over 100,000 acre-feet of groundwater and safeguarded thousands of drinking wells.
As California grapples with intensifying drought and climate shifts, these efforts represent important progress. But the data and funding also highlight the limits of current capacity — reinforcing the need for swift legislative action on infrastructure projects. Without it, California risks falling behind in securing its water future, threatening both its communities and its economy.
